Awards

Each April, the Pro Bono Executive Board hosts a Recognition Ceremony to honor the contributions of students at the law school. Any student reporting pro bono work is recognized with a certificate. In addition, the Board chooses an "Outstanding Service" Award winner and recognizes students with the most reported hours in each class.

Recent past award winners include:

2004: Sarah Drescher
Sarah Derscher won this award for her work on behalf of inmates in Jackson County, Oregon, who were subjected to crowded living conditions in violation of the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution. Working with the ACLU of Oregon, Sarah sued to enforce a conseat decree entered previously and prevailed.

2005: Jeremy Dickman
Jeremy Dickman received the award for his work with the Search and Seizure group of the Street Law Program. With great energy and focus, Jeremy expanded this popular program into several local area highschools.

2006: Dan Kruse
The Pro Bono Board selected Dan Kruse for his multiple projects on behalf of the Civil Liberties Defense Center. His work included litigation support on the Biscuit Fire litigation, and he assisted in the defense of protesters arrested at the Biscuit Fire site.

2007: Kevin Parks
Kevin Parks received recognition for donating 724 hours, the most hours in the state of Oregon. Kevin donated his time in Afghanistan working with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) on environmental legislation for the new Afghan government.

2008: Bryce Ellsworth and Beau Kellogg
Bryce was recognized for this 450 hours of pro bono service with the Ada County Prosecutors Office in Boise, Idaho.
Beau received recognition for his work with the Center for Justice in Washington. He had the most reported hours for the law school with 512 hours.

The Nicole Richardson Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award

Introduction

Nicole Richardson was a passionate law student with extraordinary dedication to underserved populations, especially indigent criminal defendants. After graduation, she took a job as a public defender for the Colorado Defender Office in Denver, where she was known as an uncompromising crusader for justice--a trait she displayed throughout law school. As a student, she worked for the Lane County Public Defender, and during a funding crunch in which the Defender office closed for a period of weeks, Nicole continued working and defending individual clients in court. She also performed pro bono work for the Oregon State Public Defender, writing a clemency petition on behalf of a prison inmate. Nicole believed in being involved in her law school community, and as a student, was a member of OLSPIF, the Criminal Law Association, Phi Alpha Delta, and she served as a volunteer for a two day Death Penalty Symposium. A three-year member of the Pro Bono Executive Board, Nicole built the law school's Street Law program from an idea, and developed its first classes in Search & Seizure and Landlord/Tenant law.

In honor of Nicole's passion, spirit and commitment to justice, her family has established an annual award, the Nicole Richardson Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award, and the recipient will receive a cash prize in the amount of $1000.00.

Selection criteria

The Award recipient will be a student whose pro bono work has made a significant impact on the community and reflects the following characteristics, similar to Nicole Richardson:

1. A passion for advocating for underserved populations, demonstrated by work for that population during law school, and/or intent to practice law on behalf of that population after graduation
2. Substantial performance of legal pro bono service (as opposed to general public service)
3. Involvement in public service-oriented student groups such as OLSPIF, PIPS, the Pro Bono Program, American Constitution Society and Phi Alpha Delta

Nomination process

The Pro Bono Executive Board will accept nominations for the Nicole Richardson Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award through mid-March, and a selection committee comprised of Pro Bono Board members will select the successful nominee. Nicole's family members may express a preference for a nominee, though will honor the Board's selections if different. Law students may nominate themselves. Nominees must submit nominating statements in writing, addressing the selection criteria set forth above, to Joan Malmud, Faculty Advisory, Pro Bono Program or to Career Services in Room 206.

Nicole Richardson Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award Recipients:

2006: Peter Henkle

2007: Jennifer Meisberger
Jennifer Meisberger was selected for this award because of her dedication to the Juvenile Rights Project, the Public Defender Services of Lane County, and a Public Defense Contractor in Port Orchard Washington

2008: Jordan Bates
Jordan Bates was the recipient of the 2009 Nicole Richardson Award. Jordan was selected for this award because of her work with the Federal Public Defender; the Public Defender Services of Lane County; the Youth Law Center; and the Streetlaw Juvenile Justice Programs. Jordan has spent much of her law school experience defending underserved populations, especially indigent criminal defendants.